Endless time
by tanseynz
Summary: Forced to marry the queen of Oklahoma, Eric is not your regular husband...
1. Chapter 1

Endless Time

When you've existed for a thousand years, ten years should be but a blip. Yet I've found the past ten to be the longest of my existence, even though the life I never consented to is, in fact, very full and very busy.

Anger can take you only so far, but it worked effectively for me in those first few weeks in Nevada. Freyda really should have reconsidered.

A flood of notes and demands were delivered to my quarters in the palace, most of which I ignored. A very few I answered, such as her peremptory demand for us to bond. I replied that, as per our marriage contract which stated her best interests must always be put first, bonding would not achieve that as I might have to obey her wishes instead, which could put her at risk. I suggested she bond with one of her lap dogs instead. She did not reply, but that demand was not repeated.

Then came the one I could not.

My darling consort,

As per our agreed contract, we must meet in the first month we are married to consummate our marriage. Therefore, being the last day of the month, I will expect you in my quarters at 10am tonight.

Dress light.

Your loving wife and queen,

Freyda

She was dressed in a flowing white sheer gauze gown which I assume she thought appealing, and stood picturesquely displayed against a heavily brocaded red wall. Her face dropped somewhat as she noted I was in my usual well covered public attire of black – shirt, leather jacket, jeans and boots, my hair tied back.

I smiled and ran the fingers of one hand down my chest to rest on my upper thigh.

'Please excuse my dress. I have just come from a meeting.'

She smiled and licked her lips.

'Guards, leave us.'

Hook!

The door behind me shut, and I turned to engage the lock before slowly turning back to run my eyes over her.

She licked her lips again and her neck arched as she lifted her chin.

Line!

My boots sounded loud on the marble floor as I stalked towards her and pushed my hips in to hold her against the wall. I bracketed her throat under her jaw with one hand. She moaned, her eyes dilating.

'Remember my love, you must act in my best interests as our contract specifies.'

'Naturally, majesty.'

Sinker!

My arm flexed as my hand slowly lifted her body off the floor.

'And it is in your best interests that you SHUT THE FUCK UP!'

My other hand moved swiftly, fingers reaching into her throat to tear her voice box out. Blood poured from the ragged hole, and I was glad I wore black. It hides the stains.

I smiled as I threw it on the floor.

'As in our contract of consummation, my body has entered yours.'

I looked deep into her panicked eyes.

'But, to make absolutely sure…'

With a flick of my fingers I broke her jaw and then I reached into her mouth.

'…I'll enter your body again.'

My fingers tore out her tongue.

I lifted it and sniffed at the blood dripping from it. She writhed in my grasp, her hands clawing at my rigid arm, her dangling feet beating at my legs.

I smiled again.

'And because I am a considerate husband, your body may enter mine.'

I bit the end off her tongue, and spat the piece deep into her sagging mouth, forcing her broken jaw shut around it.

'Now we are consummated, and under our contract specifying it as a once only 'event' if I lived in this palace, keep the FUCK AWAY FROM ME FROM NOW ON.'

I dropped her on the floor and walked away without a second glance as she retched and choked, trying to remove her tongue from her throat and at the same time stem the flow of blood from the hole in her neck.

That really was the high point of our marriage.


	2. Chapter 2

Endless Time

I lounged in an ornate Elizabethan chair at the top of the long antique wooden table, idly watching the posturings of the vampires around the silk hung room as they sought to make themselves appear important by ignoring me in favour of pseudo-serious conversations and much ruffling of papers.

Pointless really as I'd seen it all before in a hundred different courts and hadn't been impressed then. The vampires in my own area knew better than to play those games, so it was vaguely interesting to see just how far these would go before either they remembered protocols in the presence of a senior vampire, or I had to teach them all a sorely necessary lesson or two. I very much missed my child, as she would have taken much pleasure in pulling them into line, and been far harsher than I generally was.

Most of them were merely palace lackies turned during the Medieval period, whose viciousness relied on intrigue, backbiting and profiteering while minions did their dirty work. The other few were still little more than a threat – able to stake another if the opportunity arose, but unable and unwilling to co-ordinate to overthrow their queen, or indeed myself, new and alone though I might be. All were centuries younger than myself, although none appeared to be less than two hundred years old, nor did any show much sign of potential. Pam would sulk for a century if I'd hired even one to work at Fangtasia.

My eyes travelled down to the other end of the table to where a slight form with impeccably groomed copper coloured hair leaned, apparently engrossed in a discussion with a sour faced male evidently still stuck in English Regency judging by his dress of knee britches and ruffled shirt, and the leg 'o mutton whiskers adorning his jaw. The latter was just one of the nothings, but the other…

'Enough!' My voice was quiet as I got to my feet, but any sane vampire would have snapped to attention by now. Clearly, the majority of those present were not sane, nor appeared to have much sense of self preservation, as they continued to remain clustered in murmuring groups. Clearly, they were in need of a long overdue lesson.

A spray of red adorned the expensive fabric on a wall as I broke the jaw of the nearest imbecile. The voices ceased immediately, rapidly replaced by screams and then muffled moans. Surveying the room, I saw that in the fraction of a second it had taken me to disable the fool, someone had worked the entire room, leaving every courtier lying broken legged and broken jawed on the polished marble floor.

The blurred figure of a male, small in stature, stopped in front of me and stiffly bowed very low, lowering his eyes to hide the twinkle he was fighting to repress.

'My apologies, Consort Northman. My esteemed colleagues have for too long been without tutoring in the manners expected in a royal court.' The French accent was subtle, the voice cultured and the tone moderate. Infinitely suited to the formality of the surroundings.

I nodded in return, my expression cold.

'And you are?'

'Henry d'Angevin, at your service.'

I cocked an eyebrow.

'Right, Henri.' My face was as bland as his. 'You have a new position – Comptroller of the Household. Get this shit cleaned up and give the palace donors an eight week paid holiday so this vermin can heal themselves on bottled blood.'

'Sire.' He paused, then asked diffidently. 'The queen?'

I smiled.

'Her donors too. May as well do a clean sweep. I want to see you in my suite in one hour with a full report on systems improvements.'

I was at what passed for a desk in the disaster temporarily masquerading as my suite, wading through screeds of employment records, wishing my child was here to dispose of it all, when he arrived at my door. He discretely flicked his eyes once around the over-ostentatious décor then pulled himself to attention, bowed and murmured. 'Sire.'

'I thought you despised the Angevins?' I smirked, and his body relaxed. You didn't last long in any circles, vampire or royal, without an astute awareness of security.

'Fuck, Eric. Early Versailles, no doubt?' His familiarity with the court of Louis and Marie Antoinette hadn't inured him to gilt and roccoco. 'Henry and Eleanor were despicable, but I had a soft spot for Geoffrey and Matilda. I suppose you'd have preferred Henry Tudor?'

We both grimaced.

'So.' His eyes twinkled and I steeled myself. 'Ole married man, Eric, and to Freyda, no less? And for over a month, already?'

I glowered at him and he laughed.

'Why do I detect the greasy paws of your late unlamented sire all over this?' His face turned a tad sour. He and Appius had locked horns more than once. 'One can only assume money was involved. The fuck up that was young Alexei would have paid good dividends if he hadn't been completely barking mad.'

I raised an amused eyebrow. The language was classic adaptive Henry, always tuned to the vogue of the times.

'I think it was more that none of his children could bear to stay with him any longer than they were forced to, so turning someone that young gave him a dependent child in developmental years.'

That gave Henry an excuse for a belly laugh.

'And no easily accessible slum brat starving on the side of a road. Not when a Russian royal was available, along with the offshore wealth he brought as the only survivor. Freyda must have been looking to the very longterm!'

He looked at my face and laughed again.

'As Appius's only surviving child, you're a valuable asset my friend.'


	3. Chapter 3

I wasn't about to dignify that with an answer, especially as Henry was skirting too close to the truth for comfort. Appius's wealth was a concern, not just due to the Romanov inheritance, but to the fortune I and his previous, now all defunct, children had amassed for him over the centuries. Although it was tied up in enough red tape to even confound Cataliades, its appeal to even the least acquisitive vampire, and as a species we made Midas look like a philanthropist, was evident.

But it was his next comment that really perturbed me.

'What I really don't understand,' he frowned, 'Is what Appius was going to get out of marrying you off to Freyda?'

And if there was one thing I'd learned about Henry over the centuries I'd known him, it was that he never ever left a question unanswered.

'So, you have Made a child since I last saw you?' He flickered an eyebrow. 'Female, too. Clearly Appius's sexual habits didn't transfer effectively, either.'

I let out a snarl, and again he laughed. I was beginning to remember why I hadn't been in contact with him for almost three centuries.

'I suppose you'll let me know why you're here eventually.' I rustled some papers irritably. Gods, I hated paperwork!

'For one, to relieve you of that.' He grinned. 'I'm sure there is a lovely little human in the palace just begging to be allowed to clerk in return for being a fuck and a feed. A blonde, for preference. Buxom too, I think. Telepathic would be even…'

I lunged for his throat.

It took a couple of hours, but I felt much better. Henry was sprawled on the floor sucking on a bag of donor blood, mumbling about being too old for this shit while his bones and bruises healed. And the room was a wreck. Perfect!

'Oh, by the way.' He was starting to feel better. 'Pam sent the specs for your new office with me. She told me to tell you she gave it a month tops before you wrecked whatever was already in place, and also reminded me to remind you to order in multiples so the next time you lost it, you wouldn't, I quote, 'fuck with the suppliers because they can't deliver a bespoke piece of furniture overnight.' She might have also mumbled something about you not dealing with Ikea.'

He even smiled at this point.

'I do love a spicy Victorian woman.'

'Shut up and drink your blood.'

We silently finished off a couple of bags, then he looked at me.

'Fascinating as my short visit to Fangtasia was…'he paused and grimaced. 'Fangtasia? Really?'

Getting no reaction, he went on.

'I was more interested that your relationship with the telepathic human was so very public. Even many of the humans were aware of what she is. Oh, not the fae side of things.' He hastily added, seeing my scowl return. 'But her telepathy, the bonding, and most obviously, how often you put her before the welfare of the other vampires of your area. Even in Europe, this did not go unnoticed. Exactly how much of a target did you plan on making of her?'

Only the fact he was speaking a truth, unpalatable as it was, prevented me from tearing his head from his shoulders, and he was very aware of that.

'Old friend, I'm concerned, Myrddin's nexus notwithstanding. If she is taken, neither of you will survive for long.'

I peered intently at a shredded wall.

'Sookie broke our bond, and I divorced her.'

'Freyda's doing?' The question was quick.

'The divorce.' The answer quicker.

He pulled himself to his feet and came to stand beside me.

'I take it there was a reason the telepath broke the bond?'

'Don't call her that.' I said irritably. 'Her name is Sookie.'

'Why did Sookie break the bond? Was she aware of its importance, and in your case, its uniqueness?'

I let out a totally unnecessary breath.

'Sookie believes the worst about anything and everything to do with vampires. She was convinced I was controlling her through the bond, despite everything I did to show her otherwise. Each time we fought, she moved further away, and breaking the bond was one of those things she did to further distance herself from me.'

'And yet you still love her.'

His voice was calm, but there was a spike of anger there.

'She has been repeatedly physically and emotionally hurt in the service of vampires.'

'Yet you have come to her aid, even when vampires were not involved in causing her pain.'

I ran my fingers roughly through my hair. Even talking about her was difficult, and it was only because it was Henry, with whom I'd forged an impermeable link nine centuries before, that I could speak.

'She is someone I never thought to meet, and we hold part of each other, despite the divorce and the loss of the bond. Until Sookie, I never believed there was a perfect fit, another half of myself. Even though we've fought and disagreed, it's all been on the surface. Underneath, it is something I can't even begin to describe, something necessary to my existence, and, I believe, to hers. I've had no choice but to leave her, and she is trying to make a life for herself without me, but it is all just time and geography. It has to be!'

My English left me at that point along with any remaining composure. I strode into an anteroom, and wisely, Henry did not follow.


	4. Chapter 4

Six weeks on, and things in the palace of the superbitch had changed out of all recognition, thanks to Henry.

With a better class of donor around and the courtiers all healed, the whining levels had reduced to a murmer, and those murmerers to silence. He'd hired something I'd never heard of called a personal stylist to fix the fashion faux pas, so now the ruffles and wigs were replaced with sharp suits and spiked haircuts.

He'd taken over all the tedious paperwork – the clerk was thin, dark, old and quiet to my relief, and the flow of demands from my dear wife had been replaced with compliments on my handling of her multitude of 'issues'. The bitch even smiled at me once when I dutifully appeared at the other end of the throne room to do a meet and greet for out of state visitors.

And it was all down to Henry.

So of course I had to reward him.

I fixed him with a glare. 'Make a choice, now!' Henry's whining was getting tedious, even though I understood the reason.

'Fuck you, Eric. This is just getting back for that misunderstanding in Spain.'

'Misunderstanding? You sentenced me to burn, you bastard! And you got to torture me first!' Misunderstanding, my naked ass!

'And I remitted the burn bit, remember?'

Now he was getting ridiculous.

'And instead sold me to the Arabs as a galley slave. I'd have been a pile of ash if they hadn't herded us into a courtyard and taken off the chains for the night.'

'At my suggestion! You escaped, that was the point!'

'And we'll both survive – that's my point. Decide! Silver lined coffin for a month of days or amputation. We can't afford Freyda thinking I've got an ally. Gods knows she's on my butt any time someone contacts me.'

He glowered, but conceded as I knew he would.

'With the half arsed blood available around here, coffin is better. At least I get nights out.'

And now we had a ball to prepare for.

Balls were always significant in the vampire world, a way for the sovereign to display his or her wealth and power, show off the latest assets and acquisitions to the most important (read rich and powerful) subjects, and garner some popular support for the reign at the same time. And this ball was even more important, given Oklahoma's recent marriage to a consort older than most vampires and powerful enough to keep even the most invincible wannabe sovereign at bay.

Much as I would have liked to make Freyda look ridiculous at worst and get her staked at best, my duty as consort and my own honed sense of survival meant taking the usual precautions when vampire monarchs and other beneficial contacts came together. The painful lessons learned at Rhodes would be disregarded only by vampires keen to become ash, and none of them were invited.

At the same time, the game plays of politics would go on regardless, and Henry's essential survival in Freyda's court was next on the list.

So when her wealthiest benefactor, for whom she had flown in a special donor reputed to be one quarter fae, hurriedly leaned back from the silken neck presented for his appreciation, his lips blistering painfully, and it turned out the donor had been given a skin enhancing body lotion which had been spiked with silver dust, something that for some strange reason no-one had picked up in the inspection prior to the ball, heads were going to roll.

And as consort and therefore enforcer of punishments in general, it was my job to … roll them!

Guests scattered and staff huddled in corners as the palace guards investigated every nook and cranny of the place, delivering to the throne room, bound in silver, everyone from the leader of the orchestra to the events manager, and including some of the significant guests.

Freyda screamed in fury, and as her dutiful consort I glowered.

'The household comptroller. In here, now.'

The onlookers were dismissed while the heads of state and benefactors temporarily placated with fresh donors and other diversions in their rooms if they chose. Most chose to stay, seeing this as a test of Freyda's queenship.

He was roughly dragged in, the 'falling to his knees' in front of the throne bit especially effective. But I had to act, as I could see Freyda would rip his head off if I didn't intervene. So I stalked across to stand in front of him, giving her a nice ass shot to placate her.

'Explain!'

He shrank in front of me, making himself as small as possible.

'I cannot, Sire. The donors were all inspected when they came into the palace, and all were clean.'

'And all the staff, temporary or otherwise?'

He looked confused.

'Our own staff, no sire. The others were inspected the first time they came in, but many have been coming and going as part of the preparations. We cannot inspect them every time…'

The queen screamed behind me.

'Incompetent! I'll have your head for this!'

Fortunately, we already had a scapegoat lined up for her – a Fellowship spy who had been hired before I'd arrived, and who we'd kept in place, albeit glamoured to pass on only what we chose.

Henry stared imploringly at Freyda.

'Majesty, I have the staff member in charge of preparing donors here. She may know something.'

The woman was dragged in unprotesting, and answered all questions truthfully. Of course, the truth was subjective, given she'd been fed them via her glamouring.

Yes, she had prepared the part fae donor for the special benefactor. Yes, she had sprayed her with a silver dusted solution in order to poison him, because he gave too much money to vampires. Yes, she had recently joined the Fellowship after being treated badly by a vampire in the palace, and they had urged her to stay in palace employment to spy for them.

After the questioning was over, Freyda fell silent. I turned to look at her, but her eyes were fixed upon Henry. This was not good.

'Majesty. Have you a preference as to how the spy should be treated?' I endeavoured to get her back on track.

'No, no.' She replied absently. 'Kill her or use her to feed misinformation back to the Fellowship. I don't care.'

Her head came up and she looked me square in the eye.

'But the comptroller should face the final death.'

Her subtext was clear - 'otherwise our guests might think I have incompetents running my kingdom instead of myself, and that would never do.'

Bugger!

'I was thinking more of a silver coffin for a while.' I said mildly. 'Apart from this minor transgression, his expertise has been faultless. Our guests have been most complimentary about your choices.'

A bit of ass kissing never hurts, especially as the guests concerned were nodding in agreement. The luxuries Henry had obtained for them were rarely offered in any kingdom, and had ranged from were hunts to donors individually tailored to the tastes of the recipient, fed for ten days on such delicacies as caviar, oysters or venison in order to subtly flavour their blood.

But Freyda was hissing, her anger palpable. Her eyes flicked to the nearest courtier.

'A stake. Now!'

She rose from her throne as he hastened away. Her skirts swirled around her as she sauntered past me, the slow gait taunting Henry as she stared down at him.

'My consort spoke up for you, even though you are merely a palace lackey.' Her eyes, now expressionless, swivelled towards me, then back to him. 'I'm beginning to wonder why.'

Double bugger. I'd hoped we'd done enough not to arouse any suspicion.

The courtier reappeared, a silver tipped polished mahogany stake resting on an exquisite porcelain platter in front of him. Another example of Henry's training. Before that, stakes were made of cheap, roughly fashioned scrapwood, delivered by hand without ceremony.

Freyda lifted it from the platter, all the while staring down at Henry, her fingers running repeatedly over the sharp tip despite the burns appearing on her fingertips.

'Do you have anything to say before I pronounce final sentence?'

Henry's eyes flicked to me once, but his face was resigned. In his position he was used to calculated risks, and final death was always one of them when a vampire.

But I was not so sanguine.

'Majesty, if I may. Before you carry out your sentence, would it not be prudent to get any information from him on who was behind this deed? I cannot believe the spy acted alone, and ascertaining if there are other Fellowship members here and how they passed our security measures would surely be worth the delay. Not to mention harvesting his expertise in the smooth running of the palace?'

'Why, Eric.' She smiled up at me. 'Almost you appear attached to this vampire. But no, sentence will be immediate.'

Her eyes glowed as she raised the stake.

'Henry D'Angevin, for deeds against the Queen of Oklahoma, I sentence you to the final death by stake.'

He lifted his chin, his back straight, his eyes curiously calm, and a small smile on his lips. I could only honour his courage by standing tall with no expression on my face as I watched.

Just then, the windows blasted in.


	5. Chapter 5

_A sincere apology to anyone waiting for this – Christmas/New Year travel, fear of stuffing it up and a certain amount of writer's block delayed it. I'm still not sure where it's leading, so be patient, please. There are many other good stories and writers in the meantime – some on my list of Favourites._

_Thank you to those who have commented. Very much appreciated._

00—00—00-00

If I could still sweat, my forehead would have been dripping. Henry was, no doubt, feeling even more human emotions right now.

Hordes of black, grey and brown fur garnished with long red tongues and razored teeth poured through the shattered windows and spread out in a wide fan, attacking anyone in sight. A large black beast went straight for the queen, disabling the arm holding the stake with a mighty rip and a leg with a powerful bite before turning it's attentions onto me.

'Henry! The queen!' I bellowed, kicking the door to a cache of weapons hidden in the wall behind the throne, and pulling out one sword to toss to him while retaining another for myself. But he was already on it, ripping the head off one wolf that had gone for an easy target, the disabled vampire queen, then standing over her while fending off two more with his bare hands. Most of the courtiers and many of the visitors fled through doors and the shattered windows while others grabbed whatever weapons they could find and entered the fray, with relish.

I turned to my attacker, jumping back to an open spot as it leaped across the room towards me. Viciously we lunged at each other.

'Better late than never, Were. Stopped for a nap on the way, did we?'

I murmured as I spun around its open jawed attack, sword missing its neck by a fraction.

'Bloody insurgents… not a pack in the true sense. Took forever to get the bastards organised and on the road.' His fanged lupine jaws reverted into a strong human male's for a moment as he gasped for breath, twisting away to avoid my sword as it came down on another wolf, severing its back before I administered a swift coupe de grace.

'If I didn't know better, I would think you're getting past it, Alcide.' I taunted, as he leaped past me to take down one of the courtiers, in the process pushing two more of the insurgent wolves into the path of Henry's sword.

I accounted for another two and took a quick look around. Almost all that were left were the black coated Weres loyal to Alcide, who were channeling the rest of the insurgents onto vampire swords while they fought their way towards the windows ready to depart as swiftly as they arrived. Our own Were day guards, who were off duty at night, were now beginning to arrive from their quarters on the palace boundary, and they were much better armed.

He lashed at me once more, whirling to land a powerful body blow which sent me into the wall, sword spinning across the room.

'Not so over it I needed help to get rid of a pack of insurgent Weres in my territory, vampire. And I felt you should know,' he snarled and crouched as if to leap. 'Sookie is marrying the shifter.'

A warning bark and they were gone as fast as they arrived, leaving a mess of naked, dead, now human bodies and rapidly dissolving vampire body parts scattered over the blood stained floor.

The shock of hearing her name held me stockstill for a fraction of a second, but it was long enough for Henry to give me a warning look as he dragged two of the dead Weres over to the queen. Slashing their necks, he forced their blood down her throat, meantime issuing peremptory orders to the staff now starting to flood back into the room. I had to pull myself together, but it took every particle of will I possessed, and I was only too glad that the havoc the invading weres had created meant I was not under the usual scrutiny, plus I would be too busy to think for a while.

I bellowed orders to our dayguards to secure the boundaries rather than chase after the invaders, and set to work disposing of the bodies and identifying our dead, meantime letting Henry do the bulk of caring for the queen and household while she was still dazed and weak. We'd had few losses amongst the important visitors, and the monarchs were all present and accounted for, fortunately. The politics of having a monarch killed in one's own kingdom would not benefit Freyda, nor I as consort. Plus none of the visiting monarchs were worth facing the true death for, even if I were so inclined.

'Majesty.' I bowed to Freyda, now ensconced in her chambers, pink with donated blood and healing well, every luxury at hand…singular. Henry had been most efficient, while her retinue were still visibly scrambling to be present, let alone useful. 'Should I imprison the comptroller until you can carry out sentence? Unfortunately most of our visitors are due to leave in their coffins at dawn, but if you prefer, I'm sure their schedules can be halted until you are ready. And their and your welfare, of course, will be taken care of…by someone.'

Just the thought of preventing some of the most powerful vampires in North America from leaving due to a simple execution made her visibly blanch, and the timely arrival of Henry, still covered in the blood of the attacking weres yet visibly working hard in her service made her pause. She lifted an eyebrow haughtily, although it was an effort.

'While he's useful, let him continue. But I want a guard on him at all times! We will not have ineptitude in MY palace. And I want whoever let those weres through the boundaries in silver before dawn.'

I bowed again, my smile inward. Using her own tame witch to temporarily drop the protective wards was a stroke of brilliance, not the least because with Freyda's general mistrust of witchcraft, she was unlikely to order an ectoplasmic reconstruction to find out what really happened. And silver wasn't really a threat to any witch.

Once out of Freyda's chambers, the temptation to go straight to my own quarters was powerful. At the same time I didn't want time to think, to reflect. Having a particular plan come to fruition was far more difficult to face than I expected, and even thinking about it was painful. I would work until dawn, then my mind would be silent.

Having dealt with many people over the centuries, it was always entirely irrelevant whether they were vampire, were, fae, daemon or human - all needed an incentive to achieve a goal, whether theirs or mine. And for some few, the best goal was a barrier, which I was happy to provide, given it enabled them to achieve what I wished.

In over a thousand years success had never before tasted entirely of ashes...


End file.
